Marrow Masters Podcast

The information in these podcasts should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your health care provider regarding your medical decisions and treatment. The listed resources are not intended to be endorsements.

SEASON 4 : EPISODE 0

Season 4 Trailer : Caregiver Perspectives

In Season 4, join Peggy Burkhard, Executive Director of the nbmtLINK, as she focuses on all things Caregiving. From parents to spouses to siblings, our Caregiver Perspectives are sure to resonate with you. We’ll hear from the experts and the experienced, and their know-how will offer caregivers and families at every stage of the journey best practices, tips and most importantly, hope.

SEASON 4 : EPISODE 1

Psychologist Michelle Bishop Specializes in Caregiving and Shares Her Expertise

In this season’s first episode, we are joined by clinical and health psychologist Michelle Bishop, who specializes in working with cancer patients, survivors, and family caregivers. Michelle spent the first half of her career as a research assistant professor at the University of Florida studying the long-term quality of life of BMT survivors and caregivers, and has been in private practice for the last 11 years.

SEASON 4 : EPISODE 2

Sharon Minton: Wife Caregiver to Rob and Advocate for a Rare Cancer

When Sharon Minton’s husband Rob broke out in a strange rash, his primary doctor thought it might be an allergic reaction to laundry detergent. What it turned out to be was an extraordinarily rare cancer called Sezary Syndrome, an aggressive form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. In 2013, he was told he had a 25% chance of surviving the next five years. Sharon shares the importance of being YOUR loved one’s advocate, even if you have to speak up and be bold at times.

SEASON 4 : EPISODE 3

Matt DeYoung: Caregiver Dad to Daughter Lola

It’s 2011. Imagine being halfway across the world in Africa, doing missionary work, and your daughter gets sick. You are far from modern medicine, and you’re told your six-year-old has either mono or leukemia. Then, it turns out she has BOTH. Next thing Matt DeYoung knew, he, his wife, and all four kids were back in Grand Rapids, Michigan, as Lola battled Pre B Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

SEASON 4 : EPISODE 4

Barb Hara Shares Her Journey as a Caregiver to Her Sister Jackie

Barb Hara found herself in the role of caregiver just last year when her sister Jackie was diagnosed with PH positive B cell ALL. Following a transplant, she just celebrated her first “birthday” in September of this year. As a caregiver to her older sister, Barb took the reins and started taking notes – lots of them. She tracked every doctor, every treatment, every day. This allowed her to stay on top of all developments and closely monitor Jackie’s situation.

SEASON 4 : EPISODE 5

Pediatric Physician Dr. Sung Choi Shares Challenges And Solutions for Caregivers

Dr. Choi joins us today to discuss the unique challenges for both pediatric patients as well as their caregivers. Of course, the approach differs with different ages. You wouldn’t treat a 16 year-old the same way you would a toddler. For example, it’s important to have quality time with the patient not spent discussing treatment. And often times, kids will take cues from their parents, which is why self care is also important.

SEASON 4 : EPISODE 6

Kate Whitson Shares Her Journey as a Caregiving Wife

Today, we are joined by Kate Whitson, who talks about her husband Randy’s ALL diagnosis. Randy was 43, and their son was about to turn 5 and go into kindergarten. Kate discusses the unique challenges of being Randy’s caregiver and trying to convey the situation to Max in an age appropriate way.

SEASON 4 : EPISODE 7

Jim Bulger: Husband Caregiver to His Wife Nancy

In 1996, Jim Bulger’s wife Nancy was diagnosed with Diffuse Large B-Cell lymphoma. She went into remission after six months of chemo. Two decades later, in 2017, Nancy received another diagnosis: follicular lymphoma. A later diagnosis showed that this had transformed into Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma once again. Jim will talk about letting others help and show their love and kindness–something caregivers sometimes struggle with.

SEASON 4 : EPISODE 8

Jean Heika: Caregiving Mom to her Young Adult Daughter Shannon

When Jean Heika’s daughter Shannon was in college in 2013, she got sick. After extensive testing, they learned she had an aggressive, rare leukemia – blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN). Jean learned a lot over about being a caregiver over the course of Shannon’s journey, including how to interact with doctors. As the primary caregiver, you need to be the patient’s chief advocate, even if that means pushing back when necessary.